Catherine

Grace left us on October 10th, and Catherine joined us on the 13th. She stayed with us for only a short time, but the time spent was very nice. Because I was much further along in the pregnancy, and my back not being very cooperative this final pregnant stretch, we didn’t do much while she was here.

By the time she arrived, I was well into my going in twice a week for NSTs (Non Stress Tests) and ultrasound-fluid checks for the baby, so she did alot of babysitting for us. Faith and Felicity were a but confused at first, wondering who exactly this new face was and continually talked about Grace leaving on an airplane for atleast 2 or 3 days. (For the record, Faith was determined Grace was on every place she saw and/or heard for 2 weeks after she left!)

“Tappin” (as Faith called her) and the girls got along famously and had alot of fun together, though. Faith got to do some baking, it’s really becoming her new favorite hobby!, and she got to “do school” just about every day too. When Catherine pulled out her things to start in, Faith wanted her crayons and papers, or Catherine’s scrap papers, so she could do school right along with her. We watched alot of movies, did alot of reading, and a wee bit venturing out n’ about. Catherine is very introverted, more than I am, I think, so it was never uncomfortable being in our own worlds while in each other’s company :)

What else happened?? Lowell took her for a “bike ride” that she said she really enjoyed..pictures to follow below. She also did alot of adventuring outside: took Tobey on lots of walks and ventured out on her own a few times. She got herself all sorts of places, like Knights of Columbus, half a mile from us!, and has no idea how she did it! HaHaHaHa!

One of the nights she was here, we went bowling with a group of people that Lowell works with. Apparently, this was Catherine’s first bowling experience! She was a little uncomfortable about being a newbie put up against a group of not-newbies, but it was a short lived discomfort, I believe, because she did REALLY well. Her first shot, the first frame, the first time EVER, she got a strike! She continued on a pretty decent path ’til the end and came in second place that game. The few games after that was mostly just for fun, not that the first wasn’t, but it was more relaxed and there was more time chasing F-Squared around than any serious concentration on the game.

So, Catherine’s farewell was an emotional one when she left us on the 30th. Some of Lowell’s fam was in town that weekend to help Lowell with a side job, so I had SOME distraction, but not enough to prevent the water works. I think what makes goodbye extra hard with my family is the fact that they’re on the opposite side of the country and it is always in the air when we will see each other again.

We weren’t left entirely alone, though, like I said, Mom, Papa, Jane & Cy were here for the weekend, and Rachel was due to arrive November 3rd …